Pre-Departure Health Preparation

Mental health histories or conditions

More and more students with mental heath conditions or histories are attending college.  Today’s college students report struggling with bi polar disorder, depression, anxiety, substance abuse, stress management, family or other relationships, career decision-making, interpersonal concerns, and sexual assault. Thankfully, with a combination of medications and therapy, the vast majority of these students have productive and enjoyable experiences on campus and abroad.
 
Experiencing another culture is an exhilarating, but often stressful, experience that can sometimes cause symptoms or conditions to worsen, even if temporarily. Therefore, it is important to disclose your history on your Student Health/Emergency Treatment Authorization form so the MSU Travel Clinic staff can best advise you on managing your condition abroad. Some anxiety medications, for example, interact negatively with malaria prevention medications, so it is important to disclose all medications so the best possible recommendations can be made.

If your condition is very serious, the MSU Travel Clinic staff may recommend that you speak with your regular physician to discuss the unique challenges a study abroad program may pose for you, and to discuss coping strategies.

Recognize, too, that experiencing some level of depression or anxiety about your study abroad experience prior to departure can be expected. However, if you begin to doubt your readiness to participate or you fail to complete pre-departure requirements, you may wish to discuss your feelings with a medical professional.